St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1887-09-22
Ghe GaIedunialr.
UNCLE NAHUM's WEDDING.

Uncle Nahum Nixon was reading the
paper in his back parlOr. Nobody
would think, to look at the simple sur
rOundings of the unpretentious apart
ment, that Mr.. Nahum Nixon was one
of the wealthiest men in town. The
carpet, it is true, was Administer, but
it had seen twenty-five good years Of
service, and was down to the very
warp /; the faded red curtains were OF
moreen, instead of silk damask the
old clock on the mantel was no Pari-
sian affair of gilt and alabaster, but a
substantial Connecticut timepiece that
struck with a whirr, like a partridge
springing out of her nest the chairs OF
old fashioned mahogany and hairclotl
stood upright against the wall the
portraits of Gen. Washington on horse
back and the surrender of CORVALLIS,
ornamented the gay-papered walls in
frames of sOmbre gilt, and the one ele-
gance of the apartment was a prepos-
ferrous bouquet of wax flowers under a
cracked glass shade.
But Uncle Nixon had remem bered
that furniture ever since he was a
child, and he wouldn't have exchanged
it for the fittings of Partisan bOudOir,
or the choicest specimens of the mod
ern Eastlake pattern. He was a rich
man, that was quite enough for him.
":If you please, Mr.. Nixon" said the
trim maid servant, "Mr. Marmaduke
Bourne wants to see you, if you please,
sir, if you are quite at leisure"
"Mr. Marmaduke Bourne, ell 7" The
old gentleman took off his spectacles
and laid them upon the folded news
paper. "Ask him to come in, Polly"
Aud Mr.. Marmaduke Bourne came
in, a tall, fresh colored young fellow,
with sparkling gray eyes and a straight
Greek nose, that seemed as if it had
been borrowed from some ancient stat
ne of Apollo.
"Well, sir 2" said Mr.. Nixon.
dwell, sir Z" cOunter-interrogate
Mr.. Bourne. "Did you get my letterq'
al got your letter." said Uncle Ma
hum. $50 you want to marry my
niece, Faith ."
eyes, sir" valiantly acknowledged
Mr.. Marmaduke Bourne.
"Ah I" nodded Uncle Nahum. "But
perhaps you don't understand all the
facts of the case"
"The facts, sir 7"
al want my niece to marry Col. Ash
lands son." slowly enunciated Uncle
Nahum.
"But, sir, she don't love him."
"Pshawr p snarled Uncle Nahum.
"And if she don't marry him she will
be beggar; L will give her none of
mine. Now you understand matters.
Marry her or not, as you please"
He took up the newspaper once
mOre-a tacit intimatiOn that the in
terview was at an end.
"Sir-" began Marmaduke.
"That will d." said Mr.. Nixon.
81 only wish to"
"That will do" Numbered Mr.. Nix
on, and so Marmaduke went away.
Little Faith Nixon came down stairs
presently, a blue-eyed blossom of a
girl, with yellow hair growing low
down on her forehead. and very lit
tie mouth, exactly the shape to sug-
gest the idea of kissing.
Uncle Nahum looked keenly up at
her as she fluttered about the room,
Strengthening a table cover there or
patting down fold here.
eyes," said he, with curious twitch
of the muscles around his eyes, che
has been here"
IL did not ask any question, I'm
Gle Nahum"
"No, but your eyes did," chuckled
the old man. "He wants to marry
you-the improvident young donkey"
Faith came to her uncle's chair and
laid her hand on his shoulder.
"That is not..the worst of it, Uncle
Nahum want to marry him."
"Humph !" snarled Mr.. Nixon, in
Il: III Il
pect to live on, l should like to knOwq"
"We can both work." said Faith,
bravely.
Mr.. Nixon. "Mind, don't count on
help from me. If you will get mar
ried, you do it at your own risk"
"Then you consent, Uncle Nahum 7"
"No !" roared the old bachelor.
"NOthing of the SORT"
"But, Uncle Nahum, should be
wretched without Duke !" softly plead
ed Faith.
"Fiddlesticks !" said the old man.
!'And Pm sure he couldn't live with
out me-"
"Trash !" grunted Mr.. Nixon.
"And, if you please, UNCLE" added
Faith, "perhaps I'd better go to my
friend Violet Smiths to make up my
wedding things, since yOn disapprOve
so decidedly of my plans. She lives
in New York, you know, and it will
be convenient for shopping, and"
"And for all other tOmfOOleries in
general" rudely interrupted the old
gentleman. eyes, go to your Violet
Smiths, but don't expect to come back
here"
"No, uncle" said Faith, meekly.
"But you'll let me thank you for all
your kindness, and"
"No, l won't!" said Uncle Nahum,
so shortly that poor Faith fled up stairs
in dismay, and had quiet little cry,
Notwithstanding that she was so very,
very happy.
For Uncle Nahum, brusque and crab
bed though he was, was all the father
she had ever known. But she packed
her trunk and went to Violet Smiths
in New York, which was all the pleas
anter, in that Marmaduke Bourne had
also betaken himself to this modern
Gotham and gone to work studying
law as if he meant to take Coke and
Blackstone by storm. And Miss VIC
let Smith, who was a sentimental
young lady, sympathized intensely,
and the young couple were rs unrea-
sOnably happy as many another couple
has been before, and will be again.
But one day Duke Bourne came in
with face full of tidings.
"Faith," said he, "haye you heard
the news z"
"Wbat news Z"
"YOur uncle will get the start of us,
after all"
"What do yOu mean, Duke Z"
"Why, he's going to be married"
"UDcle Nahum I" cried Faith, in
credulously.